Proposing to relax emissions standards for power plants in 10 states, the Environmental Protection Agency is allowing power plants to send more pollution across state lines than previously allowed. And plants that ignore the relaxed Cross-State Air Pollution Rule guidelines and keep on going pollution-crazy won’t have to pay any penalties until 2014 rather than previously-planned 2012.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the tweaks still aren’t enough to please some politicians and businessmen, who warn that the restrictions that remain will choke the economy by making the plants less profitable and thus able to create more jobs. Texas is suing the EPA over the rule.

At least the executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies is happy, saying “They’re going to make changes that help to allay the regulated community’s concerns and at the same time resolve the ultimate problem, which is interstate air pollution.”

EPA Takes a Looser Stance on Power-Plant Emissions [The Wall Street Journal]

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